Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-24

years older than Oily; she had been
saving all winter, in spite of Christmas
and every CHING, to give toward the
placed in the church. 1t was expected
that the offerings of the coming Easter
would amount to enough to buy it
Miss Sylvester. Dilly's Sunday School
teacher, had said that she hoped her
pupils would deny themselves. and
make their Easter offerings as large US
possible. If Oily didn't get the prize.
she wouldn't have a single cent for an
Easter offering.
She went to the barn as soon as she
reached home to take another survey OF
old Crumple and her new calf. and
make up her mind as to their picturt
esque possibilities.
She seated herself upon an inverted
cask and went to work ut once. Crun-
pie was very obliging model, but the
new calf was frisky and would not keep
still. He had a queer, scraggy body,
set up on four knobbys stilt-like legs.
He had no tail to speak of, and seemed
to be all ears.
II was warm afternoon in March,
the first spring-like day of the year.
The great barn doors were wide open.
letting in a flood of sunshine. and the
hens and turkeys-regularly let out by
Abram. the ''hired man." for a
Wednesday and Saturday half-hO6day
were wandering in and out, clucking
and scratching, their spirits evidently
elated by the feeling Of spring in the
air. The old gobbler spread his wings
until they scraped the floor. and
strutted majestically before Oily, as if
to show her how much more worthy he
was of being put into a picture than
old Crumple and her calf, and the pert
young bantam rooster was so anxious
to bring himself into notice that he
perched upon the ladder and persisted
in growing as shrilly as if it were five
o'clock in the morning. although his
mother and the other matrons loudly
clucked scorn at him.
sgd came in, and began to reckon,
with piece of chalk ON barrel-head.
the probable expense of keeping three
guinea-pigs which had been offered
him as pets; they were bewitchingly
curly-tailed, and sgd wanted them-he
was but boy, although he had such a
prudent qnind-but he couldn't make
the figures come small enough, and he
renowned the guinea-pigs with great
sigh.
"Oh, sgd, 7 can't draw him, ne 10 so
ugly!" said billy, laying her pencil
down and echoing his sigh.
HE looks somehow as il he didn't
all belong together-like dissected ami
mails when you get them mixed up"
said Sgd, surveying the calf with an
unprecedented air.
81 believe can draw horses better.
anyway" said Dilly. II wish Beauty
colt hadn't grown up and been sold.
There never was o colt like Aladdin,
anyway"
''That 'Laddin of yournP Well, he
was fair to middlin' for looks"
They both started at the voice. Josh
Haight was coming in at the barn door.
He was an awkward, hulking fellow
of sixteen, generally considered some
what foolish" who lived ON 1.-The
back road" nearly mile out Of the
village. he went about doing odd
jobs, and was on familiar terms with
every body;
'But just wish you could see 3 colt
that we've got Go our place a-parsterin
for a city gentleman continued Josh.
"Oh. is he very pretty?" cried Oily,
eagerly. Sand does he look at all like
Beauty Would you let me draw
himp"
al guess there's more'n YOU that
wants to draw 'im," said Josh, siak.
ing his head with an air of great i'm
portance. "But you're always kind o.
friendly, an them's uncommon good
cherries you've got in your garden"
they're ripes JOSH" said Oily, elf
you'll bring the colt over here two or
three afternoons. I want to sketch
him standing beside Beauty"
''Just say it in quarts an pecks,"
said Josh. who, although he was fool
ish. was still a Yankee.
'.'Five, six quarts-a peck said Oily.
II expect it's worth more'n O peck
of cherries TO draw i'm, but I'm one
that likes to do favor. You mustn't
say nothing about it, cause mebbe his
owner wouldn't want him drawed. !
can't bring him regular, but XII bring
him whenever can. Them cherries
must be blackhearts you know"
He was prettier colt than Aladdin.
billy clapped her hands with delight at
the first sight she had of him; and
when Josh brought him over. his nat
urally lively spirits were subdued by
the strangeness of his surroundings. so
that he stood quietly by Beauty's side.
and Beauty turned her head with Q
motherly look toward him. and they